Fr. Francis Belanger, O.P.

Fr. Francis hails from the most Catholic state in the union, Rhode Island, where his parents gave him a wonderful example of faith and his three siblings largely put up with him. He was ordained in 2005 and has served in two of the loveliest towns in the USA - Charlottesville, VA and Hanover, NH. In both places he has been enormously privileged to serve as both a campus minister (at the University of Virginia and Dartmouth) and a parish priest. Although hardly a rabble rouser, he opened his mouth once too much at a Dominican meeting and was named the Promoter of Social Justice for the Province of St. Joseph in 2010.

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Catholic Social Teaching Corner: Giorgio La Pira

A Saintly Mayor

Posted by Fr. Francis Belanger, O.P. on October 28, 2011

Giorgio La Pira was a charismatic and popular politician - the type of big city civic character who might seem familiar to Americans. What distinguishes La Pira is that this three-time mayor of Florence may well have been a saint. Governing in the 1950's and 60's he had an overriding concern for the poor, was a defender of the rights of workers and, later on, became an international apostle of peace. Moreover he was a Dominican tertiary who lived at San Marco and prayed with the friars. His cause for beatification has been introduced. See this blog piece that gives an elegant summary of his life and reputation for sanctity: http://economicsisfordonkeys.blogspot.com/2011/02/giorgio-la-pira-saintly-mayor.html

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